Robot at Norman Regional Hospital helping people to walk again
By Kolby Terrell
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NORMAN, Oklahoma (KOCO) — A robot in Norman is helping people to walk again, by putting them in zero gravity situations.
The brand new zero gravity system helps patients who have trouble walking on their own by taking off some of the load, and if they do fall, the machine is ready to help break it.
“The Zero G Gait and Balance System is kind of a revolutionary device in our field,” said Ben Vandaveer, a physical therapist at Norman Regional Hospital.
The new system at the hospital is the first in Oklahoma and doctors said it will help get patients back on their feet in a way they couldn’t before.
“I’m having some pretty serious knee issues; I’ve been on the walker almost a year and this machine and the straps gave the ability to walk freely,” said patient Mike Bumgarner.
Patients are put in harnesses and then the machine takes over.
“And the robot is incredibly responsive, it protects them from falls. It allows them to train at their own pace. It can speed them up it can add resistance,” Vandaveer said
Bumgarner said he can’t wait to see how patients in the future use this and described what it’s like to strap in when the help is really needed.
“It was a profound experience,” Bumgarner said. “You gain trust to the straps, and you are feeling a safety that you don’t feel any other way.”
The hospital said the machine is great for their patients.
“We are able to use fewer staff members to achieve the goals that we need with our patients,” Vandaveer said. “It’s not necessarily common but it does happen that staff is injured while trying to assist patients and this takes that load away from them.”
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